A 1,000-year-old haven of tranquility

Some churches have an atmosphere disproportionate to their size, and so it is with St Mary’s, a tiny church in a churchyard encircled by trees, frothy with white blossom in spring.

A grand Norman chancel arch links the 11th-century nave to the 13th-century chancel. This is a rare and precious survival with wonderful craftsmanship in wood and ironwork.

Amongst the wealth of interest here are an exquisitely carved 14th-century font and an unusual set of Charles II Royal Arms dating from 1660.

There are also two Norman doorways – the original door of one of these, made with wood and ironwork over 1,000 years old, stands preserved inside the church.

Ancient timbers survive in the roofs and support a later bellturret, containing two bells which may well have rung out over this beautiful area of agricultural north-east Hertfordshire for at least 600 years.

Donate by text

Last year, we welcomed over two million visitors to our churches. If each person donated just £2, this would enable us to keep our churches open, safe and watertight for you and future generations to enjoy.

Donate by text

Last year, we welcomed over two million visitors to our churches. If each person donated just £2, this would enable us to keep our churches open, safe and watertight for you and future generations to enjoy.

Image gallery

Images from Flickr

The CCT is grateful to the Flickr group, Friends of the Churches Conservation Trust, for the images shown here. CCT is not responsible for the quality or content of images taken from Flickr.

Donate by text

Last year, we welcomed over two million visitors to our churches. If each person donated just £2, this would enable us to keep our churches open, safe and watertight for you and future generations to enjoy.

Donate by text

Last year, we welcomed over two million visitors to our churches. If each person donated just £2, this would enable us to keep our churches open, safe and watertight for you and future generations to enjoy.

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Donate by text

Last year, we welcomed over two million visitors to our churches. If each person donated just £2, this would enable us to keep our churches open, safe and watertight for you and future generations to enjoy.

Donate by text

Last year, we welcomed over two million visitors to our churches. If each person donated just £2, this would enable us to keep our churches open, safe and watertight for you and future generations to enjoy.

Church of St Mary the Virgin, Little Hormead, Hertfordshire

Church of St Mary the Virgin, Little Hormead, Hertfordshire

Keyholder

If the access information for this church is listed as 'Keyholder nearby', this means that the key is kept by one of our invaluable volunteer 'keyholders', who usually live just a short walk from the church and can give visitors the key; sometimes this is a nearby hotel, pub, library, art gallery or other venue. You will find instructions explaining how to get the key when you arrive at the church.

Disabled access

Visitors with disabilities may need some assistance. There is a path across mown grass through churchyard.

Facilities

Due to the historic nature of our buildings, only a very small number of them have heating or running water meaning that they can be cold, and very rarely have toilet facilities. The lighting is usually operated via a 'push button' timer or a motion sensor. We do apologise for any inconvenience the lack of facilities may cause.